Game apparatus



(No Hoiiel.)

G. W. PRATT.

GAME APPARATUS. No. 571,843 Patented Nov. 24,1896.

triangles B.-

UNITED Srn'rss GEORGE \V. PRATT, OF PEABODY, M

HALF TO SUSAN A. VALTON,

PATENT @rrucn.

ASSAQIIUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- OF SALEM, lllASSACHUSETTS.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,843, dated November24, 1896,

Application filed February 7, 1896. Serial No. 578,384. (No model.)

To Lil zr/tomifi may COIL-(76771,:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PRATT, of Peabody, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an In'iprovement in Games, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a game whereby diversion and amusement arealforded, particularly to the young, my invention being of a nature todevelop the skill and persistency of the player as well-as to afforddiversion and amusement.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure l isa plan View of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionon the line 2 A designates a playingboard, which may be of any desiredshape and provided around its periphery with a suitable retaining-flangeA. This playingboard has an upper plane surface which is provided atsuitable inter vals with openings or sockets a, which are herein shownas arranged in a series of tri angles, which maybe connected by bandsll, painted in diilferent colors, if desired, to readily distinguish thesame, certain of the triangles B being concentric within the larger Asherein arranged, the outer triangles B are arranged in the form of aMaltese cross joined at its center by a disk B which also has at itscenter a socket a, similar to the other sockets (1. Various des ignatingvalues are given to these openings or sockets. For instance, the outerend ones may be given a value of live and the radial openings a value often, while the openings of the smaller triangles-may hai e a value oftwenty and the central opening a n yn-lue of fifty.

C designates the pins or men, which are arranged to loosely enter theopenings (t a, so as to be readily knocked down, will presently be moreparticularly set forth, the pins for this purpose being provided attheir ontering end with reduced portions 3, which are smaller than theopenings, so that the shoulders c of the pins rest on the edges of theopenings.

The pins 0 are preferably formed with re duced portions 0 at either end,in order that they may be reversible and more readily placed in positionon the board; also, by reason of the shape thus given to the pins theweight of the heavier upper portion of the pin is borne on the shoulders0, so that it requires more of a blow to tip the pins over than would benecessary if they were supported by having their reduced ends 0 resting,for instance, on the bottom of the opening or sockets a.

At a convenient spot on the board I provide a spinning-post, hereinshown as placed at the upper side of the board. This post oomprises anupper arm I) and a lower arm D, which are recessed at (Z cl to receivethe upper and lower portions, respectively, of the top E, the lowerportion 6 thereof being reduced to substantially the same size as thereduced portions c of the pins, in order that the top may readily enterany of the openings or sockets a, as hereinafter described. This lowerend is also substantially square on the bottom, in order that when spunthe top may have a tendency to travel over the board.

In order to more effectually confine the spin11ing-top within the rangeof openings or sockets (1,1 have arranged a line of guardposts f,preferably concentric with the center of the board, to cut off thecorners. These guards are arranged in sulliciently close or-- dor toprevent the top from spinning between them, and are also preferablyformed of slightly resilient wire or wire nails, in order that when thetop abuts against the same the top may be caused to rebound slightlytoward the openings or sockets of the board.

The game as played by the above-described apparatus is as follows, viz:The top E is properly placed in the spinning post, as shown, and thespinning-cord K is sharply pulled by means of the finger-ring 7c in thedirection as indicated in Fig. l. The top thus spun is allowed to travelover the board A, and as it comes in contact with any of the variouspins 0, which have been previously properly placed in their sockets (6ct, the values of the pins thus overturned by the top are placed to theplayers account. For in stance, the top may overturn the first pin inits path from the spinningpost. This will give the player a count offive. The next pin may be in one of the smaller triangles, which givesthe player twenty; and if he be fortunate enough to knock over thecentral pin he has fifty added to his account. If the top enters andremains in one of the openlngs not occupied by a pin, as, for instance,any of the radial openings, this ends that players play and he gets onlyten, another player then taking his turn in the game. The player whofirst reaches the limit of the game is the winner.

The inner openings are more difficult of access to the top, for thereason that they are guarded by the openings and pins surrounding them,so that the probabilities are that the top will enter the outsideunoccupied openings or will be retarded and stopped by contact with theouter pins before it has a chance to occupy the openings near thecenter, particularly the central opening, which is therefore given thehighest count.

I do not limit myself to the order of playing herein described, nor tothe values or arrangement of the openings herein shown, inasmuch as itis obvious that these details, as well as other features ofconstruction, may be considerably modified within the spirit and scopeof my invention.

That I claim is p 1. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality ofopenings or sockets therein,a plurality of pins adapted to be supportedin loose engagement in said openings,and a top adapted to travel oversaid board when spun-and to overturn the pins in said openings bycontact therewith, said board having a plurality of resilient postsarranged in its corners in curves substantially concentric with saidboard, whereby said top is continually thrown inwardly toward said pinsand openings, as it spins against said posts, substantially asdescribed.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings orsockets, therein,a plurality of pins adapted to be supported in looseengagement in said openings, the latter be ing variously marked withdesignating values, and a top adapted to travel over said board whenspun, said top being provided with a lower portion adapted to enter saidopenings and adapted to overturn the pins, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings orsockets in said board arranged in figures, certain of said openingsbeing inclosed within figures formed by other of said openings wherebythey are rendered more difficult of access, a plurality of pins adaptedto be supported in loose engagement in said openings, the latter beingvariously marked with designating values, certain of said openings beingnormally provided with said pins and others thereof being without saidpins; and a top formed to travel over said board when spun, said topbeing provided with a lower portion adapted to enter said openings,substantially as described.

4. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings orsockets in said board, a plurality of pins adapted to be supported inloose engagement in said openings, said pins being provided at eitherend with short reduced portions to enter the openings, and withshoulders to support the same on the edges of the said openings, and atop formed to travel over said board when spun, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE \V. PRATT.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, IVIARGARET A. DUNN.

